It was a bit surprising to see the Seattle Mariners simply let go outfielder Nori Aoki on waivers. While he had a horrendous first half, and even played in the minors for a bit, he had a good second half and finished the season with decent numbers. Even without his club option for 2017 vesting, Aoki is still eligible for arbitration. It's likely that the Mariners simply didn't want to commit to him. He obviously became expendable in their offseason plan.

In Aoki, the Houston Astros essentially get a free outfielder. Colby Rasmus and Carlos Gomez were both horrendous for Houston in 2016, so giving Aoki a chance is well worth it. This is a guy who played for a very good Royals team in 2014 who lost to the same Giants he played for in 2015. Aoki won't blow anyone away, but he's a really solid player.

We also strive to one day cuddle with lions and giraffes. Until then, we’ll settle for furry rescue kitties and doggies.

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